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Roman Catholic Hierarchy Supports NOM's Divisive Strategy

Many lay Catholics have long been at odds with the Roman Catholic Church over the church’s rejection of LGBT people. HRC recently revealed that the Church and other Catholic organizations, including the Knights of Columbus, have financially supported NOM’s efforts to increase “hostility” between the LGBT and black communities; and to drive a wedge between LGBT Latinos and members of their own families by making "support for [so-called traditional] marriage a key badge of Latino identity." LGBT Catholic organizations, under the umbrella of the Equally Blessed coalition, have come together to speak out against NOM’s racist and destructive strategy. Lourdes Rodriguez-Nogués, president of Dignity USA, tells GLAAD:

A strategy that deliberately tries to divide families is shameful. Being a lesbian makes me no less Cuban that I was before I came out, no less Catholic, no less a part of my family. Latino families want what is best for each of their members and know that anything that oppresses one of us oppresses all of us.

Jim FitzGerald of Call To Action, a lay Catholic organization that works toward justice and equality within the Church and in areas where the church has influence, says:

We hope Catholics organizations such as the Knights of Columbus understand that their association with the National Organization for Marriage has damaged the credibility of their charitable work, especially in Black and Latino/a communities. NOM uses unchristian means to an unchristian end, and is not worthy of Catholic support."

LGBT inclusive Catholics have been voicing their support on Twitter, using the hashtag #CatholicNoToNOM.

The Roman Catholic hierarchy has long been out of step with a majority of lay Catholics. HRC’s revelations are little more than conformation that the leadership of the Church seeks to undermine and invalidate the lives of many of its faithful followers.

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